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Experiment
18
Work and Energy
Work is a measure of energy transfer. In the absence of friction, when positive work is done on an
object, there will be an increase in its kinetic or potential energy. In order to do work on an
object, it is necessary to apply a force along or against the direction of the object’s motion. If the
force is constant and parallel to the object’s path, work can be calculated using
W  F s
where F is the constant force and s the displacement of the object. If the force is not constant, we
can still calculate the work using a graphical technique. If we divide the overall displacement into
short segments, s, the force is nearly constant during each segment. The work done during that
segment can be calculated using the previous expression. The total work for the overall
displacement is the sum of the work done over each individual segment:
W   F ( s)s
This sum can be determined graphically as the area under the plot of force vs. distance.1
These equations for work can be easily evaluated using a force sensor and a Motion Detector. In
either case, the work-energy theorem relates the work done to the change in energy as
W = PE + KE
where W is the work done, PE is the change in potential energy, and KE the change in kinetic
energy.
In this experiment you will investigate the relationship between work, potential energy, and
kinetic energy.
OBJECTIVES

Use a Motion Detector and a force sensor to measure the position and force on a hanging
mass, a spring, and a dynamics cart.
 Determine the work done on an object using a force vs. distance graph.
 Use the Motion Detector to measure velocity and calculate kinetic energy.
 Compare the work done on a cart to its change of mechanical energy.
MATERIALS
Power Macintosh or Windows PC
LabPro or Universal Lab Interface
Logger Pro
Vernier Motion Detector
Vernier Force Sensor
dynamics cart
1
masses (200 g and 500 g)
spring with a low spring constant (10 N/m)
masking tape
wire basket (to protect Motion Detector)
rubber band
s final
If you know calculus you may recognize this sum as leading to the integral W   F ( s ) ds .
sinitial
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Experiment 18
PRELIMINARY READING AND QUESTIONS
Read/Do/Explore the following:
 This lab.
 The Physics Classroom: Work: U5L1a, U5L1aa;
Work & Energy: U5L2a, U5L2b, U5L2bb, U5L2bc, U5L2c
1. Lift a book from the floor to the table. Did you do work? To answer this question, consider
whether you applied a force parallel to the displacement of the book.
2. What was the average force acting on the book as it was lifted? Could you lift the book with a
constant force? Ignore the very beginning and end of the motion in answering the question.
3. Holding one end still, stretch a rubber band. Did you do work on the rubber band? To answer
this question, consider whether you applied a force parallel to the displacement of the moving
end of the rubber band.
4. Is the force you apply constant when you stretch the rubber band? If not, at what point in the
stretch is the force the least. At what point is the force the greatest?
PROCEDURE
Remember that all masses are approximations. Use a mass within 20% of that given and
record the actual mass used. Also remember to save your data for future use.
Part I Work When The Force Is Constant
In this part you will measure the work needed to lift an object straight upward at constant
speed. The force you apply will balance the weight of the object, and so is constant. The work
can be calculated using the displacement and the average force, and also by finding the area
under the force vs. distance graph.
1. Connect the Motion Detector to DIG/SONIC 2 of the LabPro. Connect the Vernier Force
Sensor to Channel 1 of the interface. Set your sensor to 10 N.
2. Open file Exp 18a from Physics with Computers. Three graphs will appear on the screen:
distance vs. time, force vs. time, and force vs. distance. Data will be collected for 5 s.
3. Go to step 4.
4. Hold the Force Sensor with the hook pointing downward, but with no mass hanging from it.
Click
and then
to set the Force Sensor to zero.
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Work and Energy
5. Hang a 200-g mass from the Force Sensor.
6. Place the Motion Detector on the floor,
away from table legs and other obstacles.
Place a wire basket over it as protection
from falling weights.
Dual-Range
Force Sensor
7. Hold the Force Sensor and mass about
0.5 m above the Motion Detector. Click
to begin data collection. Wait about
1.0 s after the clicking sound starts, and
then slowly raise the Force Sensor and
mass about 0.5 m straight upward. Then
hold the sensor and mass still until the data
collection stops at 5 s.
8. Examine the distance vs. time and force vs.
time graphs by clicking the Examine
button, . Identify when the weight started
to move upward at a constant speed.
Record this starting time and height in the
data table.
9. Examine the distance vs. time and force vs.
time graphs and identify when the weight
stopped moving upward. Record this
stopping time and height in the data table.
Figure 1
10. Determine the average force exerted while you were lifting the mass. Do this by selecting the
portion of the force vs. time graph corresponding to the time you were lifting (refer to the
position graph to determine this time interval). Do not include the brief periods when the up
motion was starting and stopping. Click the Statistics button, , to calculate the average
force. Record the value in your data table.
11. On the force vs. distance graph select the region corresponding to the upward motion of the
weight. (Click and hold the mouse button at the starting distance, then drag the mouse to the
stopping distance and release the button.) Click the Integrate button, , to determine the area
under the force vs. distance curve during the lift. Record this area in the data table.
12. Sketch the graphs in your lab record.
Part II Work Done To Stretch A Spring
In Part II you will measure the work needed to stretch a spring. Unlike the force needed to lift
a mass, the force done in stretching a spring is not a constant. The work can still be calculated
using the area under the force vs. distance graph.
13. Open experiment file Exp 18b. Three graphs will appear on the screen: distance vs. time,
force vs. time, and force vs. distance. Data will be collected for 5 seconds.
14. Use a dynamics track and attachments for this setup. Attach one end of the spring to a rigid
support. Attach the Force Sensor hook to the other end. Rest the Force Sensor on the track
with the spring extended but relaxed, so that the spring applies no force to the Force Sensor.
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Experiment 18
15. Place the Motion Detector about one meter from the Force Sensor, along the line of the
spring. Be sure there are no nearby objects to interfere with the distance measurement.
Motion Detector
Force Sensor
Dual-Range
Force Sensor
Figure 2
16. Using a 1 cm long piece of masking tape, mark the position of the leading edge of the Force
Sensor on the track. The starting point is when the spring is in a relaxed state. Hold the end of
the Force Sensor that is nearest the Motion Detector as shown in Figure 3. The Motion
Detector will measure the distance to your hand, not the Force Sensor. With the rest of your
arm out of the way of the Motion Detector beam, click
. On the dialog box that appears,
click
. Logger Pro will now use a coordinate system which is positive towards the
Motion Detector with the origin at the Force Sensor.
Force Sensor
Motion
Detector
Figure 3
17. Click
to begin data collection. Within the limits of the spring [DO NOT
OVERSTRETCH THE SPRING!], move the Force Sensor and slowly stretch the spring
about 50 cm over several seconds. Hold the sensor still until data collection stops. Do not get
any closer than 40 cm to the Motion Detector.
18. Examine the distance vs. time and force vs. time graphs by clicking the Examine button,
Identify the time when you started to pull on the spring. Record this starting time and
distance in the data table.
.
19. Examine the distance vs. time and force vs. time graphs and identify the time when you
stopped pulling on the spring. Record this stopping time and distance in the data table.
20. Click the force vs. distance graph, then click the Linear Regression button, , to determine
the slope of the force vs. distance graph. The slope is the spring constant, k. Record the slope
and intercept in the data table.
21. The area under the force vs. distance graph is the work done to stretch the spring. How does
the work depend on the amount of stretch? On the force vs. distance graph select the region
corresponding to the first 10 cm stretch of the spring. (Click and hold the mouse button at the
starting distance, then drag the mouse to 10 cm and release the button.) Click the Integrate
button, , to determine the area under the force vs. distance curve during the stretch. Record
this area in the data table.
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22. Now select the portion of the graph corresponding to the first 20 cm of stretch (twice the
stretch). Find the work done to stretch the spring 20 cm. Record the value in the data table.
23. Select the portion of the graph corresponding to the maximum stretch you achieved. Find the
work done to stretch the spring this far. Record the value in the data table.
24. Sketch the graphs in your lab record.
Part III Work Done To Accelerate A Cart
In Part III you will push on the cart with the Force Sensor, causing the cart to accelerate. The
Motion Detector allows you to measure the initial and final velocities; along with the Force
Sensor, you can measure the work you do on the cart to accelerate it.
25. Open experiment file Exp 18c. Three graphs will appear on the screen: distance vs. time,
force vs. time, and force vs. distance. Data will be collected for 5 seconds.
26. Remove the spring and support. Determine the mass of the cart. Record in the data table.
27. Place the cart at rest about 1.5 m from the Motion Detector, ready to roll toward the detector.
28. Click
. On the dialog box that appears, click
. Logger Pro will now use a
coordinate system which is positive towards the Motion Detector with the origin at the cart.
29. Prepare to gently push the cart toward the Motion Detector using the Force Sensor. Hold the
Force Sensor so the force it applies to the cart is parallel to the sensitive axis of the sensor.
30. Click
to begin data collection. When you hear the Motion Detector begin clicking,
gently push the cart toward the detector using only the hook of the Force Sensor. The push
should last about half a second. Let the cart roll toward the Motion Detector, but catch it
before it strikes the detector.
31. Examine the distance vs. time and force vs. time graphs by clicking the Examine button, .
Identify when you started to push the cart. Record this time and distance in the data table.
32. Examine the distance vs. time and force vs. time graphs and identify when you stopped
pushing the cart. Record this time and distance in the data table.
33. Determine the velocity of the cart after the push. Use the slope of the distance vs. time graph,
which should be a straight line after the push is complete. Record the slope in the data table.
34. From the force vs. distance graph, determine the work you did to accelerate the cart. To do
this, select the region corresponding to the push (but no more). Click the Integrate button, ,
to measure the area under the curve. Record the value in the data table.
35. Sketch the graphs in your lab record.
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Experiment 18
DATA TABLE
Part I
Time (s)
Distance (m)
Start Moving
Stop Moving
Average force(N)
Work done (J)
Integral (during lift): force vs. distance
(N•m)
PE (J)
Part II
Time (s)
Distance (m)
Start Pulling
Stop Pulling
Spring Constant (N/m)
Stretch
10 cm
20 cm
Maximum
Integral (during pull)
(N•m)
PE (J)
Part III
Time (s)
Distance (m)
Start Pushing
Stop Pushing
Mass (kg)
Final velocity (m/s)
Integral during push (N•m)
KE of cart (J)
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ANALYSIS
1. In Part I, the work you did lifting the mass did not change its kinetic energy. The work then
had to change the potential energy of the mass. Calculate the increase in gravitational
potential energy using the following equation. Compare this to the average work for Part I,
and to the area under the force vs. distance graph:
PE = mgh
where h is the distance the mass was raised. Record your values in the data table. Does the
work done on the mass correspond to the change in gravitational potential energy? Should it?
2. In Part II you did work to stretch the spring. The graph of force vs. distance depends on the
particular spring you used, but for most springs will be a straight line. This corresponds to
Hooke’s law, or F = – kx, where F is the force applied by the spring when it is stretched a
distance x. k is the spring constant, measured in N/m. What is the spring constant of the
spring? From your graph, does the spring follow Hooke’s law? Do you think that it would
always follow Hooke’s law, no matter how far you stretched it? Why is the slope of your
graph positive, while Hooke’s law has a minus sign?
3. The elastic potential energy stored by a spring is given by PE = ½ kx2, where x is the
distance. Compare the work you measured to stretch the spring to 10 cm, 20 cm, and the
maximum stretch to the stored potential energy predicted by this expression. Should they be
similar? Note: Use consistent units. Record your values in the data table.
4. In Part III you did work to accelerate the cart. In this case the work went to changing the
kinetic energy. Since no spring was involved and the cart moved along a level surface, there
is no change in potential energy. How does the work you did2 compare to the change in kinetic
energy? Here, since the initial velocity is zero, KE = ½ mv where m is the total mass of the
cart and any added weights, and v is the final velocity. Record your values in the data table.
EXTENSIONS
1. Show that one N•m is equal to one J.
2. Start with a stretched spring and let the spring do work on the cart by accelerating it toward
the fixed point. Use the Motion Detector to determine the speed of the cart when the spring
reaches the relaxed position. Calculate the kinetic energy of the cart at this point and compare
it to the work measured in Part II. Discuss the results.
3. Repeat Part I, but vary the speed of your hand as you lift the mass. The force vs. time graph
should be irregular. Will the force vs. distance graph change? Or will it continue to
correspond to mgh?
4. Repeat Part III, but start with the cart moving away from the detector. Pushing only with the
tip of the Force Sensor, gently stop the cart and send it back toward the detector. Compare the
work done on the cart to the change in kinetic energy, taking into account the initial velocity
of the cart.
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Experiment 18
FOLLOW UP
1. Read §6.0-6.3, 6.7, 6-10. Review §6.4-6.6.
2. Questions (Ch 6): 3, 6, 7, 8, 19, 21, 22
Problems (Ch 6): 3, 5, 7, 13, 15, 19, 27, 29, 33, 37, 43, 58, 60
Q3 Hint: Is the normal force an action or reaction force?
Q6 Hint: Your body requires energy to do what?
Q19 Hint: What form of energy do the arrows have before they strike the bale? What
force is doing work on the arrows while coming to a stop in the bale?
P13 Hint: What values are plotted to determine spring constant? How is the spring
constant determined from this plot?
P37 Hint: Remember that the trampoline is acting vertically. Thus you need to take into
account the weight of the artist … the trampoline would be depressed with him sitting on
it! How far would the trampoline be depressed with the artist sitting on it?
Answer P58: 28.2 s.
Answer P60: 66 000 W ≈ 88 hp.
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